Sermon upon Integrity, by Agrias

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ShoraAdmin

Posts : 41Join date : 2017-07-10Location : California

Subject: Sermon upon Integrity, by Agrias Thu Jul 20, 2017 8:46 pm

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen of Ateraan. I am Agrias Saestas, Brother of theWaylumi Clergy, and I thank you for your time and patience in allowing me topresent to you this sermon upon the subject of Integrity.

To put it plainly, and not to bore you too swiftly, Integrity is thewell-spring of the person that is yourself. It is the very foundation of whatand who you are, and how accordingly to that your actions reflect.

Say that someone believes they are a noble, and honourable person. They saythey are a noble, and honourable person. How closely to that ideal does theirbehaviour reflect? The question of Integrity lies in that answer.

Yes, there are many kinds of Integrity of this world. There is 'good'Integrity, and there is 'bad' Integrity. All of them reflect how closely oneholds to the ideals and attitudes they purport to be a part of. Integrity is,in effect, the measure of how closely-bound one's words and one's actions existin reality.

For example, I say that I am a Cleric of the Goddess. This means that I purportto uphold the ideals of Love, Honour, Wisdom, and Vigilance. The question of myIntegrity stands, then, in how closely to those ideals do I act? Am I a lovingperson, am I an honourable man, do I try to be wise, do I practice vigilanceand awareness of my own actions?

This question is extremely important, because it affects how I, and how we, asa Clergy and a faith, are perceived by others. If we are without Integrity,what others will see is that we say we are loving, but we instead, say, fail toact in favour of forgiveness, or look down upon others, what message do theytake from that? They take that we are dishonest, and dishonesty is a severecorruption of the Tenet of Honour, and we are unwise, for alienating possibleallies, and it is even a failure of Vigilance, in that we may be creatingenemies where none should exist. Four sins, all from a lack of this importantfacet of our society, Integrity.

This perception has a very strong, very profound effect upon an individual, andmoreso upon an organization. If a lack of Integrity is perceived, will anyonewish to be friends with an individual? Would they seek to join an organization,of which membership exists to be the very lifeblood? The answer is not quite'no'. Those with a lack of Integrity will find themselves surrounded,similarly, by those with dishonest intentions, weakening the individual andpotentially destroying an organization. A surfeit of Integrity, of standing andbeing who and what you are, and what you say you represent, will see yousurrounded by those who admire and respect these qualities in you,strengthening yourself and them through your co-operative efforts

So how does one practice Integrity, if it is so necessary to one's existence?Quite simply, be what you say you are. Stand your ground, plant your feet, andbe not moved from that which you say you exist to be. In this, you will findpeace and fulfillment. Elsewise, if you wish to be a person without Integrity,be boastful without basis, seek to undo or work against that which your wordspromote.

Integrity is the glue of the world upon which we stand. Without individualsstanding by their word, honoring it, and fulfilling it, Merchants would acceptcoin without recompense, Clerics would not share their blessings or promotetheir Deities to the masses, Mages would hoard their discoveries in thearcane...think of a world where no Guild can be expected to be held to theirown charter. Where no Duke or Overseer would stand by their word. It is not ahappy thought, is it?

So I entreat upon you, citizens of this world, to look into yourselves and findwithin you the wellspring of Integrity you all have. Look to the Guilds, lookto the Duke and to the Overseer. Judge yourself against their example, and seekto uphold that example. Seek you to surround yourself with blackguards, orthose who would strike you down whilst speaking into your ear that they areyour friend? Or seek you to be held in company with those who would have youhold your head high, proud of what you are, for you are what you say you are,and those around you feel it is to be celebrated that you are what you are?

The power of Integrity is never to be underestimated, and I entreat upon youonce more, examine its power, think upon its hold on you. Are you satisfiedwith your Integrity? All paths open to you are yours to choose, but are theythe paths you wish to choose? That is the strength and power of Integrity.